harpersfallsfandomcom-20200214-history
The Charms of Baltimore Chapter One
This story is a bit on the satirical side as two inter-related families fight over a huge mansion in Baltimore. Who will win? The altruists? Or the stuck up "Denbys from Dundalk"?! Let's find out! Chapter One For all its vaunted history and fame, it's a city that has seen more than its share of infamy as well. Best known as the home of the Orioles and Ravens; as well as the burial place of Edgar Allan Poe; the hometown of famous newspaper man, H.L. Menken, as well as its portrayal in TV shows like Homicide, Life on the Streets and The Wire, as well as its spoofing in the play Hot L Baltimore, no place in the country is oft overlooked like Baltimore, Maryland. In the Northwest side of Baltimore, near Druid Hill Park, in the Woodberry neighborhood, there was a large mansion. This mansion was the home of the Otterbein family. The Otterbeins were known for their long-time association with the Old Otterbein Methodist Church. However, at this point, there was a bit of a pall over the magnificent mansion. Mark Otterbein, a powerful reporter at the Baltimore Sun, had died of a massive heart attack at his office. Albert, his son, was understandably devastated, and as if that wasn't bad enough, he had to contend with his divorced mother, Felicity Denby, demanding that he move out of the mansion and be shunted into a homeless shelter, as she felt the house should belong to her and her family, the infamous Denbys of Dundalk. Her younger son, Albert's half-brother, Anthony, wanted the house for himself, and their grandmother, Sylvia Denby, was also wanting it for HERSELF. All three generations were fighting over the mansion, each wanting it for themselves, and leaving the others out. The Denby family were one of the most selfish families in all of Metro Baltimore. Sylvia's late husband, Frank Denby, was an industrialist, who had been nagged to death by Sylvia and Felicity's continual demands and entitlement. Albert, ravaged by grief, was not interested in giving up the house he had been born and raised in to his selfish maternal family. He had a feeling what they had planned. They wanted to destroy the historic mansion and turn it into a place worse than a bordello. The thing was, the Denbys did not have any claim on the Otterbein mansion. Before his death, Mark had the wisdom to turn the title of the house over to Albert and held in trust by his British sister, Louisa St. George. Upon finding this out, the Denbys were more intent than ever on getting the house from the Otterbeins, and would stoop to deceit to achieve their ends. However, an arrival from London would put the Denby's scheme sliding off the rails! Landing at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Louisa and her adult children, Gregory and Catherine, were headed for the baggage claim area. The rest of their possessions were being sent. Albert, having been driven to the airport by his two best friends, Michael Fraser and Christopher Sternin, met them. Louisa came up to her broken-hearted nephew and hugged him close. "Oh, lovie," she said, "I am so sorry to hear about your dad. How are you holding up?" "Just barely, Auntie Louisa," Albert said, "what with Mother and her family still trying to steal the mansion from me, and kick me out into the streets." "That's terrible, Albie," Catherine said softly, "we're gonna stop them, aren't we, Mother?" "Of course we will, darling," Louisa said cheerfully, "you just leave everything to your Auntie Louisa." Michael and Christopher helped with the baggage, and drove the whole lot back to Woodberry, where the scheming Denbys were still plotting to take over the place. Felicity's face drained of color when she saw who was coming up the old stone driveway! "Mother," Felicity hissed, "that idiot is back! And look at who's with him!" Sylvia glared out the window, her face turned stark white! "Damn that Louisa St. George!" she spat, "I should have known that battle-axe would come here to protect that wimp Albert!" "Well, you know Albert was Mark's son all the way," Felicity said in a snide voice, "no trace of ANY Denby blood in him! He was all Otterbein!" Louisa stormed up the steps and flung open the door. She shot a deadly look at the Denbys! "All right, you stupid oafs," Louisa said in a loud voice, "it's time for your lot to get out of MY nephew's home!" "And who is gonna make us?" Anthony sneered, "Nobody orders a Denby from Dundalk!" "Oh, is that so?" Greg St. George said menacingly, wrapping his arm around Albert, protecting his favorite cousin, "Well, you hear this, fraud! This house is in HIS name held in trust by MY mother, HIS auntie! You and your ilk aren't welcome here! And we're NOT gonna let you throw him into a homeless shelter! Not if I can help it! Why don't you vipers go back to Dundalk and leave Woodberry for good?!" "I have rights!" Felicity screamed, "More than HE does! I was married to Mark!" "Yeah, and you cheated on him with every man in Dundalk!" Louisa sneered, "My brother told me everything, you know he would! So, I would not be spewing such garbage!" Michael and Christopher took Louisa's bags and moved them upstairs. "Boys," she said kindly, "those bags are to go into a smaller room. I want that master bedroom to be for Albert, ok?" "With pleasure," Christopher said, and he hauled Louisa's bags upstairs. "Catherine, you go and choose a room also," Louisa said to her daughter, "I've got words to say to these trespassers!" "How dare you!" Sylvia snapped, "I am Sylvia Denby from Dundalk! You don't DARE to talk to me in such disrespectful fashion!" "You know, Grandmother," Albert said, wiping his eyes, and shooting her a blistering look, "I am getting sick and tired of you bragging about your being from Dundalk! I don't give a FLYING FIG if you come from Dundalk, or from Owings Mills, or even from the bottom of the swamps in the Patapsco! You are trespassing! This mansion was in Dad's family for years, and if you think you and your slimy ilk are going to take possession of it, then you've got another think coming! This house is mine, held in trust by Auntie Louisa! Meaning, this house is still in Otterbein hands! Now, get your stinking Denby backsides out of this house and off of this property for good, or else I will have the police called and you three will be removed from here in HANDCUFFS!" "How dare you speak to us in that manner?!" Felicity sneered. "I dare, because you cheated on my dad for a long time," Albert said icily, "don't think I don't know either. How many nights did I have to sit up, crying for you, while you were out gallivanting all over Baltimore with every man you could find! I'm not stupid, much as you and your demon spawn would seem to want to think I am. You would be out all hours of the night, and left me in the care of servants while you were busy swanning about with every man you would see! You have no respect for anything, and you certainly do NOT have any claim to this house or this land! As I said, get out! The whole boiling lot of you! Go back to your precious Dundalk, and don't you EVER set foot on this property again! If you do, I will have the police on Speed Dial to have your collective carcasses thrown in the clink!" Seeing the look of sheer hatred and anger on his face, the Denbys fled the scene and left in their cars. Sylvia screamed, "This isn't over!" "Oh yes it is," Louisa said coldly, "it IS over! You and your family have lost! This is MY nephew's home, and he will remain here for the rest of his life! This place is NOT yours! You, Felicity Denby, were only married to my brother, because none of your high-mucky-muck boyfriends would touch you with a barge pole! And YOU, you old dragon," Louisa glared at Sylvia, "you think you're such hot stuff with charities here in Baltimore, well, you're not! I know what you've done, and I have NO qualms, NONE, about going to the police with all I know. Your name will be MUD when I am finished with you!" "You won't defeat the Denbys of Dundalk!" Anthony raged. "I think you three leaving this property would be the exact definition of a defeat," Greg spat at Anthony, "and you will NEVER set foot here!" "This war is never going to be over," Sylvia screamed, "we'll get this mansion when it's all said and done!" Louisa glared at her enemy, "The ONLY way that will ever happen is when we're all busy ice skating in HELL! And you and your ilk will be there well before anyone else will! Get out of here, and DON'T EVER COME BACK!!!" The lily-livered Denbys left the property in post-haste and drove back to Dundalk! They would not give up, but however, it would be a shocker when a few days later, they would be willed a DIFFERENT mansion, but still in Dundalk! They would rule Dundalk! Maybe Woodberry was off limits, but watch out, Dundalk! The Denbys would be making life hellish! Meanwhile, Louisa and her family would set up the new residency and were welcomed with open arms by the Woodberry community. Greg was pleased that he could spend more time with his favorite cousin. Michael and Christopher, Albert's two best friends, moved in immediately; and everything was now being set up. Out on the terrace, Albert looked towards Television Hill, which he could see from his back terrace. "Dad," he said to the night sky, "this land is the Otterbeins, and it will ALWAYS be in Otterbein hands! And no damned Denby from Dundalk will EVER befoul this land again!" Louisa came out and gave her nephew a hug, "Don't worry, darling," she said, "those Denbys will leave us alone!" The family sat down for their first ever dinner. Things were starting to work out. Category:Charms of Baltimore